Nick Saban isn’t going far. Sure, he’s retiring as Alabama football’s head coach, and won’t be dealing with the day-to-day grind of a college football season the way he used to.

But according to what Saban told ESPN in his first on-camera interview since announcing his retirement on Wednesday, he told players they’ll still need to be on the lookout for him.

“I”m going to have a presence,” Saban said in the interview. “I’m going to stay in Tuscaloosa. They’re giving me an office in the stadium. I said ‘I can get on your butt from there just like I can from on the field.’’

Saban said in the interview that his retirement was largely due to the fact that his age was catching up with him and he couldn’t handle the grind needed to perform at his best. He reassured that he and his wife Terry did not have any major illnesses to speak of.

With his departure, Alabama began its search for its next head coach. Names that have been reported as possible candidates for the job by Football Scoop included Washinton’s Kalen DeBoer, Florida State’s Mike Locksley and current Alabama offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.

The transfer portal is open for 30 days for Alabama players. Saban said he encouraged the current Crimson Tide to stick around and commit to the program.

Alabama’s first game of the post-Saban era is scheduled for Aug. 31 at Bryant-Denny Stadium against Western Kentucky.